Method of making articles for building



Patented Au 18, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. GRAVEMAN, OF KENILWORTH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO SOLOMON PELLETIER, OF

ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING ARTICLES FOR BUILDING.

No Drawing. Application filed June 7,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that 1, WILLIAM H. GRAVE- MAN, a citizen of Germany, and'a resident of Kenilworth, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Articles forv Building, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to an improved composition of matter and also the method for the manufacture of this composition for articles adapted for use in building, such as roofing slate, roofing tile, shingles, wall tile and similar articles.

The composition of matter, when treated by, my method, provides an article that is light in Weight and is not brittle, can be sawed and drilled, and is adapted for being nailed to a support and is fire-proof and water-proof and is therefore extremely suitable for building and similar purposes.

As a base for my improved composition, 1 use coal tarpitch, using from to 40% coal tar pitch and the balance of the composition in the preferred form is ashes or slag. By ashes I mean such ashes as come from industrial power plants and not the p0wdered ashes as would come from furnaces in residences, which would not be of sufficient hafdfiss. The percentage of pitch will difler according to the density and strength desired. 7 I

The mixture of coal tar pitch and ashes or slag is ground fine enough so that it passes through a screen of 100 and 200 mesh, the fineness of the mixture regulating also the amount of pitch in determining the quality of the product. The finer the mate rial is ground the more pitch is used. a The material is thoroughly mixed and I then is pressed into more compact form,

either by packing it down in a container with a heavy cover on the material or otherwise held in close contact so that the particles are in close contactand the mixture is then heated, this usually being done in an oven togetia uniform temperature throughout the mass of about 100 .C.

The material is then pressed in a hydraulic press, into any shape desired, the pressure usually being about one-half ton per square inch. Where pressing is made diflicult by theshape of the article tobe made the pressing can be done in a hot press so as to main 1924. Serial No. 718,562.

tain the temperature of the mixture until the pressing is complete.

The article is now taken and subjected to a higher temperature and this is done in the pretence of the minimum amount of air so as to avoid combustion. This burning or earbonizing is usually done by placing the products in'boxes or other suitable containers of material to withstand the temperature desired and the material is surrounded on all sides with a covering, say at least three inches, of petrol coke, this coke being usually ground to about 100 mesh and this covering excludes the air to the desired extent. This exclusion of air also prevents warping or cracking.

While so covered the articles are put into a furnace and baked slowly, the temperature in the furnace being brought up to about 450 C. until carbonization has taken place. This takes about twenty hours. Atthe end of this period the temperature is raised at the rate of about per hour to a temperature of from 700 to 1100 C. This last temperature treatment hardens and strengthens the articles.

In situations where a smooth non-porous article is desired, the articles are further treated by dipping or submerging them in a perforated container which is lowered, into a vat or tank containing heated asphalt which asphalt is heated to a consistency where it flows easily and coats the articles and fills the pores therein. I find that the article usually takes up about 5% of its own weight in asphalting. The product is now fit either to be used in its present form or it can be baked a second time or it can be,

enameled, the same as metal or ear-them ware, when it is to be used as tiling and the like. Articles made by this process are light in weight and when used as shingles or other similar roofing cover they can be sawed, nailed and otherwise handled the same as a wooden shingle but they have the advantage of being fire-proof and of course, water-proof. 1 Y

This product does not shrink or expand to any appreciable extent and does not curl or warp even under extreme temperatures.

In the above description I have defined ashes or slag and it will be understood that I may use all ashes or all slag or a mixture of the two, which mixture can be finally ground so as to be well intermingled and in this pulverized shape with the pulverized pitch, a close massing of these small particles is possible. The heating treatment causes the pitch to shrink and consequently a greater density is brought about in the article.

In case a very light article is needed I can use asbestos in the mixture to any extent desired.

I claim:

1. The method of producing shingles and similar articles which consists in mixing coal tar pitch and finely divided mineral aggregate, then pressing the mixture awhile subiected to a temperature of approximately 100 C. to form the article, then baking the article in a temperature of approximately 450 C. until carbonization takes place and then raising the temperature slowly to about 700 to 1100 C. to harden the article.

2. The method of producing shingles and similar articles which consists in mixing pulverized coal tar pitch and pulverized slag or the like, heating the mixture to about 100 (1, pressing the mixture to the inseam? desired shape, and then subjecting the article to a higher temperature to cause carbonization.

3. The method of producing shingles and similar articles which consists in mixing pulverized coal tar pitch and pulverized ashes or the like, heating the mixture to about 100 C. and while so heated pressing it into the desired shape, then heating the article in the absence of air to a temperature to carbonize the article and then raising the temperature to harden the article.

4C. The method of producing shingles and similar articles which consists in mixing pulverized coal tar pitch and pulverized ashes or the like, heating the mixture to about 100 C. and while so heated pressing it into the desired shape, then heating the article in the absence of air to a temperature to carbonize the article and then raising the temperature to harden the article, then dipping the article in molten asphalt.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I t have hereto set my hand this 6th day 01'? June, 1924.

H. GRAVEMAN. 

